Stolen Awakening
by piercesalvatore
Summary: Monsters were created over a thousand years ago, feeding on innocent human lives and preying on the weak. A popular home to these said monsters is Mystic Falls; a picturesque town with secrets unbeknownst to some of the inhabitants living there. Klaus Mikaelson is one of those humans who has no clue what he's in for, but truth is, he's already apart of it. Role Reversal Canon AU.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note : I really shouldn't be doing this, writing another fic when __I haven't updated my other Klaroline story yet._ _But this idea came to mind and I knew that it would be a great_ _idea for a fanfiction._ _Before I get into the chapter, I would like to clear this up_ _for any future reference. Caroline is going to be OOC, that's how this story will work, how this story_ has _to work. Klaus_ _is going to be a little OOC here and there, but all-and-all he'll still be the same_ _Klaus as we all know and love. Just, human._

 _Klaus and Caroline's lives have switched up; she's the Original Hybrid and Klaus is the innocent human living in Mystic Falls. This story is a slightly canon AU and takes place after season 1. This is also a slow-burn story, meaning it will take some time before Caroline arrives in Mystic Falls._

 _Reviews are greatly appreciated!_

* * *

Ch. 1

 _February 25, 2010_

The day was beginning to dwindle down with stars brightening up the night sky. If an easel and paints were nearby, it'd make for an expressive piece of artwork. Too bad he was far from home in the middle of the town square, watching as people retreated towards the large stage lined with chairs. It was an eventful day so far for the annual Founder's celebration, but Klaus found it to be quite boring. To him, a lot of the events that were put together in town were dull and lacking in excitement. The only one's that suited him were the bonfires, where booze was free and the girls were willing.

The lack of elation is how Klaus found himself holed up in the Mystic Grill with his fellow friends - Tyler Lockwood, Matt Donovan, and Klaus' younger sister Rebekah - before the fireworks went off along with Richard Lockwood's annual speech. Klaus was settled in beside his sister and across from the two jocks. The three of them were equally annoyed with the night's events.

Rebekah made idle chit-chat with Matt in a flirtatious way that Klaus withheld from rolling his eyes at. He, on the other hand, was talking to Tyler about their upcoming football game and where they stood now from the last time they played. Tyler wasn't as engaged in the conversation as Klaus was, his eyes settled on the hot waitress that was busy wiping down the table across from theirs. This time, Klaus did roll his eyes and seat himself back into the plush booth.

At times like these, he secretly wished he was closer to his two old friends, Elena Gilbert and Bonnie Bennett. They knew each other since they were really young and were very close, but things changed at the beginning of the school year when Elena got consumed by her boyfriend, and then new kid, Stefan Salvatore. Klaus was more involved with Bonnie than Elena, though it didn't keep the three from having a spotty relationship with each other.

Klaus had no problem with friends, which he had numerous of, it was just that he had a handful of close ones that he had a problem keeping hold of. It wasn't Elena or Bonnie's faults, he was at fault too. As the school year dragged on, he was caught up with parties and girls and his own schoolwork he hardly had enough time to maintain a close bond with the two girls like they once shared. Then again, they were probably getting to that point where they were bored with him. He didn't blame them necessarily, he found himself to be a lot more guarded and arrogant more than ever, which could be hard to get used to. Klaus was always remote in his own way, pushing people from him and keeping them at arms length. That's how he migrated to Tyler and Matt, who he's known for a long time too, but was always tedious about hanging around because of the reputation Tyler had. Klaus had an equally bad reputation, but he thought that Tyler had always hated him due to their childhood together. It was a bad childhood, their elementary days being a thing of the past though easily remembered.

"Here's your drinks," came a voice that snapped Klaus from his thoughts. He looked up to see the waitress Tyler was oogling earlier with a tray in her hand that their drinks stood upon. She very slowly placed each drink in front of them, making sure to lean over Klaus closer than she did Tyler and Matt to hand Rebekah her beverage. Klaus' annoyance grew thicker, as he wasn't interested.

"Can I get any of you something to eat?" In a flash, she had a note pad and pen out, placing it on her tray and keeping the pen frozen in place over the notepad.

Tyler flipped through the menu quickly. "I'll have-" he was shortly cut off by his father who was now walking towards their table.

"Tyler," Richard began, eyeing the waitress as a way to get her to leave. She did, hastily.

"Hey, Dad," Tyler said, irritated. "What's up?"

"I told you to go home."

"Well, I decided not to."

Richard got threateningly close. "When I tell you to do something, you do it."

"Is everything okay, Mayor Lockwood?" Rebekah asked after seeing the look in Richard's eyes.

He sighed, looking at each of the teenagers seated in the booth. "Please, Tyler. I need you to go home. Now. Take your friends with you."

"Why? What's going on?" A curious Matt asked.

Richard hesitated. "I can't explain. All of you need to get home. Please."

Tyler glanced at us and sighed. "Yeah, okay."

"Here." Richard pulled a set of keys from his pocket and gave them to his son. "Take my car. It's out back."

Tyler removed himself from his seat and Richard stepped away. "Yeah, Rebekah, Matt, Klaus, go with him."

All of them were confused as to why they were being rushed away so quickly. They expected to see the fireworks in the town's honor in a few minutes and thought that Richard would have wanted them to stick around to see it. Now, they sat in a car with Tyler behind the wheel, driving towards the Lockwood mansion.

Out of nowhere, Tyler frowned. "What the hell is that?"

Klaus looked over at him from his place in the back. "What are you talking about?"

"That noise."

"Wait, what noise?" Matt asked.

"I don't hear anything," Rebekah added from the passenger seat.

Then, Tyler started to wince in pain, reaching up to his temples and grasping them. He, along with the Matt and Rebekah, started shooting questions at him while their eyes grew wide. Tyler's hands weren't on the wheel.

"Tyler, the wheel!" Matt shouted.

Klaus wanted to help in any way he could, but he heard the noise that Tyler was talking about. It was very distinct at first, growing louder and louder as seconds past. Pins and needles attacked his head. It was like a migraine, only a hundred times worse. It felt like his brain would combust.

The next thing Klaus heard was a crash, blacking out instantly.

xXx

Medics pulled Tyler and Klaus from the vehicle. Matt and Rebekah were already on their feet, standing over the group of workers that were saving Tyler and Klaus' lives. Rebekah felt funny, telling Matt that she was fine whenever he asked what was wrong. She shifted underneath his gaze and looked over at her brother, who she was very worried for.

A medic looked into his eyes with a small flashlight and jumped in the air. "Whoa," he said, amazed.

"What?" Matt asked hurriedly. He had moved away from Rebekah and was standing closer to get a good look at his friend.

"His eyes," the medic replied, flashing the light again. This time, his eyes were no longer the amber color he saw before.

"Huh, that's-"

Klaus took a big gulp of air as he came to his sense. He was staring up at the twinkling sky that was covered with stars. _A easel and some paints_ , he thought.

The moment was shattered as he heard a female say, "I need some help over here."

He turned his head and saw his sister laying on the ground with her eyes shut. "Rebekah!"

The medic held Klaus down. "Don't. You're probably suffering a concussion."

"Damn the concussion," Klaus spat, going to his feet.

At that same time, Tyler woke up from his own unconscious state in a fit of coughing. Klaus quickly wondered what happened to the both of them. Rebekah and Matt were unfazed by the noises, yet Tyler and Klaus weren't. It drew up a blank as to what was going on, causing Klaus to speculate what had happened.

xXx

Sitting underneath florescent lights and nervously checking his phone every now and then, Klaus was waiting to hear back from the doctor on Rebekah's condition. Since arriving at the hospital, Klaus was forced to sit in the waiting room with Matt and Tyler until they figured out what was wrong with his little sister. Time ticked away and it was beginning to test Klaus' patience.

"Look, man, I'm really sorry about what happened," Tyler chimed in.

Klaus shook his head. "It's not your fault, mate."

"I just...I don't know what happened."

Klaus thought about mentioning to Tyler that he too experienced the same phenomena as he did. He decided against it. The last thing he wanted was to confuse Tyler even more. And himself.

The doors to the ER opened up, allowing the doctor to come forward with a sad look on her face.

Klaus was at his feet instantly. "Is she alright?"

The doctor frowned. "There was some internal bleeding and we're taking her into surgery right away. There shouldn't be any complications, but to minimize any we're going to work extra hard to make sure your sister is alright. Now, have you called your parents?"

At the mention of his parents, Klaus gritted his teeth. His parents, Esther and Mikael, tragically died a few years ago after taking a trip through the Appalachian Mountains. They were camping when they were mauled by animals. Klaus missed his mother, but he didn't feel the same for his step-father Mikael. For unknown reasons, Mikael resented Klaus growing up; always beating him whenever he wanted when his mother or siblings stood idling by without intervening. This allowed Klaus to harden over the years, and how he kept people at bay. Now, his legal guardian was his older brother Elijah; who was much more noble and wiser than Klaus at the age of 28. Klaus made the notion to call him, ultimately seeing it to be no use because he was a few states away working on a case in Illinois. As a lawyer, Elijah was very successful, and followed in his father's footsteps. But, unlike Elijah, Klaus wasn't going to follow in Mikael's footsteps. Every step he was going to make was to be his own.

Klaus, instead, called both Finn and Kol, his other brothers and informed them on the state their sister was in. Kol explained that he would arrive shortly to see his sister with their youngest brother Henrik at his side, but Finn was no use; his phone automatically going to voicemail.

"My parents are gone," he told her simply. "Our brother is the one who watches over us but he's on a business trip."

"That's fine." The doctor's smile widened in a way that seemed more dispiriting than comforting. "You can see her following the surgery, okay?"

With a nod of his head, Klaus walked back to his seat.

As soon as he did, he saw a group of familiar faces walk into the waiting room. It was Kol, Henrik, Elena, and Bonnie, who all looked sympathetically towards Klaus while taking a seat on the chairs set up across from him.

"Is she okay?" Kol asked.

"She's going into surgery. She should be okay, but there's a chance she might not be," Klaus said quietly, staring at his shoes.

"I'm so sorry, Klaus," Elena began, pushing her curled hair behind an ear.

Klaus didn't look at her, ignoring her statement.

Being friends with Elena and Bonnie for years also meant that they were friends with his sister, who they got along greatly with. Bonnie and Elena kept in touch more with Rebekah than they did with Klaus, and at first it bothered him, but eventually that passed.

Elena whispered something to Bonnie before leaving their chairs and going towards the reception area where they were talking in hushed tones. Klaus watched intently as Elena worriedly went on about something. Then, as if to make matters worse, Damon Salvatore rounded a corner and interrupted their conversation.

Klaus never liked the Salvatore's, despised them, actually. But Elijah has made sure to get on Damon's good side through the Founder's Council, which the Mikaelson family was apart of for a very long time.

Shaking her head furiously, Elena rejected something Damon said, but he seemed to be pleading with her before being surprised by what Bonnie said next. In times like these, Klaus wished he had super hearing so he knew what was going on with them.

"I hope she's okay," Henrik said. "When can we see her?"

Klaus looked at his worried, adolescent brother. He had just hit the wondrous age of thirteen, an age that every boy and girl alike hated. His hair had darkened over the years, falling over his eyes that he pushed absentmindedly out of the way, and his voice was deeper than it was a year ago. Klaus couldn't believe that his brother was now a teenager, it was still odd even though Henrik's birthday was a little over a month ago. It's not easy getting used to change.

Klaus gave him a weak smile. "I'm sure she'll be fine. We can visit her after surgery."

Henrik grinned at that answer, pulling his smartphone from his pocket, occupying his time with some game he's been attached to.

Kol looked at Klaus. "What happened to you then, brother? I heard it was a nasty crash."

Klaus glared at him. "Nothing, Kol."

Yet, something did happen. Something strange, something he couldn't explain. There was something big going on, and Klaus wanted to know exactly what it was. As he gazed at the round clock on the wall, he saw it was 10:30, and he figured he'd wait until tomorrow to figure out what's truly going on.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

"I'm surprised you're still here," a nurse smiled while passing Klaus in the waiting room.

Klaus was there for at least four hours now; Matt, Kol, and Henrik had left hours ago, leaving him settled in an uncomfortable chair all by himself. Not that he minded. Other than the uncomfortable kinks settling into his back and the smell of sanitary equipment invading his nostrils, he planned on staying there until Rebekah got out of the ER. He couldn't just up and leave her. She was his sister, and probably the only sibling Klaus believed to be tolerable, besides Henrik, of course.

"So am I," he agreed silently, nodding towards the nurse's notion as she walked away.

Although it was a little past 2:30 in the morning, the hospital was still sluggishly alive with doctors rushing around the hospital with their clipboards in hand and nurses filling out paperwork by the reception area. Despite the occasional static coming from pagers and the ticking of the clock nearby, which seemed a lot louder than usual, it was eerily quiet throughout the room.

Moments passed before Klaus' phone went off with a vibration deep in his jean pocket. When he retrieved it, he glanced at the phone to see that Regan, one of Klaus' flings, had texted him out of the blue. He rolled his eyes and blocked her number with a few taps on his screen, pushing the smart phone back into his pocket. Flings never really understood what Klaus meant by 'never happening again'. Because, really, he is never interested in having anything more with girls who willingly fling themselves at him. Though he does indulge, he likes a chase, a challenge. One that would consume him. With girls like Regan, they aren't at all hard to get. They're easy and desperate, and not at all consuming as Klaus wishes to have in a relationship.

A little while later, when Klaus could feel his patience thinning and his eyelids drooping, he heard the doors of the ER open with a sound of something rolling against the tiles. He saw Rebekah being carted towards a room. The doctor from before reaching him looking perplexed, a pinch in her eyebrows when he stood up. He took in the look on her face and matched it with his own confusion, glancing towards the corner Rebekah had disappeared around.

"Mr. Mikaelson, it's a miracle," the doctor said. "Your sister...she's been healing rapidly. It's...I have no idea how to explain it."

"That's good then? I can see her?"

"It is, but...never mind. She's out right now, though. You should probably go home and get some rest," she suggested. "We'll call if anything happens."

Klaus pondered her request while she walked away. Eventually, he came to a decision to turn on his heel and leave, figuring the sleep clouding his head needed to be dealt with before he passed out in the middle of the waiting room.

The walk to his home was one that helped ease the tension in his muscles. Mixed with the chilled air and the smell of pine needles, it kept his mind from floating away and landing on his sister. Instead of focusing on her, he remembered that something strange had happened to him, and he wanted more than anything to find out what it was. Though, he didn't know where to start. There was Tyler, who he knew would just put up a wall and refuse to tell him anything, or there was Elijah, whose noble input could help him figure out the phenomena he was put through. Klaus wondered if Elijah would even take him seriously or just tell him he had been seeing things. That could be it, the possibility of Klaus' head screwing with him, but what happened felt too real to just sweep under the rug. Not only that, but Tyler experienced it too.

The Mikaelson Manor came into view and Klaus walked around the circle driveway to the large front door. He opened it up and stepped into darkness that took over the house. Not a single sound could be heard but snores coming from Henrik's bedroom, causing Klaus to bite back a chuckle that threatened its way to the surface.

"Is our sister alright?" Kol came out of nowhere, his footsteps filling up the silence while he came downstairs.

Klaus reached over and flicked on the light, laughing when Kol blinked heavily at the sudden brightness, bracing himself against the banister.

"Bloody hell, brother," Kol cursed.

"Sorry," Klaus said. "Yes, our sister is fine. She's...healing at a very fast pace, I assume."

"You assume?" Kol blinked once more before squinting at Klaus. "What do you mean at a fast pace?"

Klaus shrugged. "That's what the doctor told me. I have no idea what she meant."

"That's good," Kol commented. "Elijah will be pleased to hear that. He's been worried sick."

"You've called him?"

Kol rolled his eyes. "Obviously. I wasn't going to _not_ tell him."

Nodding his head, Klaus approached the stairs, feeling sleep weigh him down.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention," Kol said, stepping back from Klaus. "There's a funeral tomorrow and we've been invited."

Klaus' eyebrows pinched together. "What are you talking about?"

"Mayor Lockwood died yesterday," Kol said sadly, a frown tugging at his lips.

Klaus was taken aback. He didn't expect those words to come from his brother's mouth. His mouth fell open, thinking about Tyler and how it must be affecting his friend. It was surreal to know that yet another person - an important person to the community - has died.

"Do...do they know how?" Klaus asked.

Kol shook his head. "I'm afraid not. They're keeping it under wraps for now."

Taking this information, Klaus bowed his head and resumed his approach to his bedroom. When the door swung open, Klaus let out a sigh of relief at the four post bed on the far wall, nestled between two large windows overlooking a balcony. He toed out of his shoes and didn't take the time to remove his clothing.

All he needed right now was sleep. And it came easily.

xXx

Following his visit with Rebekah in the morning, Klaus drove to the Lockwood estate with Kol in the passenger seat and Henrik in the back. A large number of familiar and unfamiliar people came out that day to honor their Lockwood family; familiar and unfamiliar faces alike graced the estate with a mixture of sympathetic smiles and frowns. Klaus put up one of his own, glancing at Kol to see he appeared the same way.

"It's a shame," Kol announced as Klaus pulled his key from the ignition. "He was a great mayor."

Klaus could only nod and exit the car.

Tyler stood at the front door and greeted people who came through. He reached out and shook Klaus's hand in a firm grip, bringing him in for a quick hug while doing so.

"I need to talk to you later," Tyler said in Klaus' ear.

Klaus removed himself from the embrace. "Whatever you need, I'm here, Tyler." He had one hand on his friend's shoulder and the other in Tyler's hand.

"I know."

Giving him a sad smile, Klaus entered the mansion with Kol and Henrik on his tail.

Klaus knew the feeling of having a parent out of the picture; actually, two parents to be exact. He could relate to how Tyler was feeling, if he was feeling anything at all. Despite Tyler's loss, there wasn't a huge sign of sadness gracing Tyler's features, which Klaus couldn't blame him for, since Mayor Lockwood wasn't always an indication of good will. The man you watched take his place behind podiums and microphones was only half the truth. The real Robert Lockwood was one that was hidden behind closed doors, and as Klaus usually put it, a 'dodgy git that embodied that of an knob head'. When Klaus first used the phrase, he rolled his eyes as Tyler began questioning the statement. Americans would never understand British slang, would they? With all the words Klaus used over the years, he'd once opted for getting Tyler a dictionary for Christmas. They'd certainly had a good laugh over that.

Klaus and his brothers parted ways upon entering. He took a right and walked into the dining area, where a large amount of hors d'oeuvres scattered a table. He looked at it with lack of interest, scanning his surroundings to see if anybody he knew was close by.

"Klaus?" Elena Gilbert's voice caused him to turn briefly at the sight of her. She was dressed quite differently, wearing black-on-black in tight fitted clothes. Her hair was done in large curls framing her face, a look of forced innocence on her face.

"Elena," Klaus addressed, stepping towards her. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She sighed. "How's Rebekah?"

"She's great. Better than great, actually."

Elena looked intrigued. "Really?"

"Yes. She healed rather quickly, so the doctor said."

"Interesting," she murmured, taking a piece of fruit from the table and plopping it in her mouth. "And how are you?"

Klaus scoffed. "I didn't know you cared."

"I do, Klaus. Just because we've been rocky these past few months, it doesn't me I don't care," she admitted. "We're friends. And I want us to patch things up."

Klaus eyed her suspiciously. Something about her was...off. It wasn't her clothes or her hair, or the dark makeup smeared across her eyes, it was something about her voice - the atmosphere she gave off and the way she punctuated her words. Everything about her expressed contriving. It gave Klaus a fleeting feeling of uneasiness.

"What?" she questioned quickly, scanning his face while it contorted into apprehensiveness. "Is something wrong?"

He didn't reply, looking over her shoulder. "Hello, Stefan."

Elena glanced at Stefan who stood in the doorway.

"Klaus," Stefan greeted, his eyes glued to Elena. Something about him seemed off, too.

"Uh, I'll leave you two to it then." Klaus dismissed himself from the conversation while Stefan and Elena had a stare-down. He didn't understand what was wrong with the pair, and shook his head at his confusion.

Rounding a corner, Klaus smacked into someone. He held onto her arms and kept her from falling. Looking at the girl, he restrained from rolling his eyes. It was Regan. He peeled his hands from her arms and watched as she smiled innocently at him.

"Klaus," she grinned. "I was hoping I'd see you."

Regan's smile made Klaus' heart clench. She tended to be a sweet girl, and it made him feel guilty that he cut himself off from her. Though, she did have her moments of manipulation and seductiveness that attracted men like a magnet. With long red hair and doe eyes, she was everything that defined beauty. Klaus wished she was smart enough to back down and leave him be. He told her specifically that he wasn't interested in anything more than a quick night together. He didn't even give her the benefit of the doubt and kicked her out immediately following their fill for one another.

"Regan," his voice was tense. "I have to go."

Klaus walked away when her manicured hand shot out and pulled him backwards.

"Don't do that, Klaus. I thought we had something."

Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Had something?" He felt a dark smirk form on his face. "Sweetheart, the only thing you were to me was a decent fuck. Now please, for the sake of your feelings and my own, I suggest you back off."

Her hand dropped to her side and she frowned. "That's a little harsh."

"It was meant to be," Klaus bit out. "If you had any brains in that pretty little head of yours, you'd know that I'm no good for you."

The words he threw at her were cruel, he knew that, but he needed to keep her away. It was in her best interest if she heeded his warning. He didn't like people getting too close to him, and quite frankly, didn't like getting too close to people. His friends and family were an exception.

Regan nodded slowly. "Okay. If that's what you want."

Tears were beginning to form, and Klaus felt himself scream internally. He wasn't good with tears.

"Regan," he began.

"No, it's fine. You don't like me, I get it."

Before he could say something to soothe her worries, she dashed off.

 _Bloody hell,_ Klaus thought.

Instead of standing around to mull over Regan's feelings, Klaus waved down the closest waiter for a glass of champagne. He downed it quickly, grabbing another one on his way outside. He drank this one slower than the first, turning his head to see Damon Salvatore standing by himself with a glass of what appeared to be whiskey in his hand.

"Damon," Klaus started, walking towards him.

Damon took a sip of his alcohol, annoyance etched into his face. "What do you want?"

Klaus held a hand to his chest. "What's with the hostility? I just wanted to chat."

"I don't like you, you don't like me, what more is there to say?" Damon asked.

"No, I know that. Trust me, I'd rather not be speaking to you at all. But...would you happen to know what's wrong with Elena?"

Damon quirked a brow. "As in, what?"

Klaus was going to explain the difference in Elena's demeanor from earlier when he heard her speaking behind him. He turned around, expecting her to be in curls and tight clothing, only she wasn't. Her hair was in it's natural state and her clothing relaxed compared to the get-up she wore before. She turned away from Jenna, her aunt, and met Klaus and Damon by the pillar.

"Hey," Elena said to Klaus. "How's Rebekah?"

"I already told you; she's alright," he pointed out. "Didn't we already talk?"

Elena, who looked perplexed, shared a glance with Damon. "No. I only just got here."

"I'm pretty sure you didn't. I spoke to you a few minutes ago."

There was a flash of realization behind her brown eyes, staring at Damon nervously. Klaus was going to question it, but was yet again interrupted by a frazzled Bonnie Bennett who appeared outside the front door.

"Elena," she rushed out, her breathing heavy.

The girl in question turned to her friend, and suddenly, she and Damon followed Bonnie back through the doorway. Klaus glowered, realizing he wouldn't be getting any answers today. It bothered him a bit to be left out of the loop. He felt like there was something going on that nobody was telling him.

He finished his champagne and handed the empty flute to a waitress while walking back inside.

People were sharing stories of their time with Mayor Lockwood and crying at the loss of him. Klaus doubted half of the people attending knew Mayor Lockwood personally. Some of their sympathy seemed fake, and then there were the few people who appeared genuinely concerned over the town's loss.

Klaus maneuvered his way through the crowd. He walked into the Lockwood study, where her found Tyler. His friend had a flask to his lips, an emotionless expression on his face. Klaus frowned at him, rounding the couch and sitting down.

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Klaus asked, getting straight to the point.

Tyler raised the flask again. "What happened last night?"

"Something strange," Klaus said. "Has that ever happened to you before?"

Tyler shook his head. "No. I've never blacked out like that."

Klaus agreed. He'd never blacked out before unless it was alcohol induced. This time it was caused by a loud noise that pierced the air and strained his hearing. The thought of it sent a shiver down his spine. It was worse than nails on a chalkboard.

"What do you think it was - the noise?"

Tyler shrugged. "I don't know. The only thing I do know is that you and I were the only ones affected by it. Rebekah and Matt weren't."

And then there's that. Klaus found it extremely odd that Rebekah and Matt hadn't heard a thing. Only Klaus and Tyler did, which added more questions to his mind. It didn't make sense that only they were apart of whatever happened, while the other two occupants of Tyler's car weren't. The whole predicament drew up a blank, and Klaus found himself sighing in frustration. He wanted to know what this was. He wanted to know what was going on.

Tyler offered Klaus the flask, but Klaus declined and sat back in the leather couch. He wasn't looking to get hammered, although Tyler seemed to. He watched as Tyler took another swig and hiss at the heat the must've shot down his throat.

"I found it in his desk," Tyler said, running his hands over the expensive looking canteen. "If he saw me right now..."

"I get it," Klaus mused out of nowhere. "I get your pain. I've lost both my parents."

"I remember you that week, after the attack," Tyler confessed. "You were so - I don't know. But you didn't look like it bothered you at all. You were so good at handling your emotions."

"I still am," Klaus corrected, running his hands over the armrest. "One of my specialties is appearing careless about such events."

"But I could tell. I could tell you were broken. I could tell it crushed you, despite your hatred for Mikael."

Klaus didn't want to talk about his feelings. It was something he wasn't good at. "Don't get all philosophical on me, Lockwood. It doesn't suit you."

"Maybe not, but it's better than sulking. And I can tell you're still doing it after all these years." Tyler drank again and pursed his lips.

Klaus' frown hardened. "I don't sulk."

"You do. I can tell. I've known you long enough to know what state you're in without even mentioning it."

Klaus stood from the couch. "I should get going."

"Wait," Tyler said, stopping his friend from leaving. "I'm sorry, man. I just don't know how to do it...put up a good front. You're practically an expert by now."

"Are your words supposed to be endearing?" Klaus hissed. "Because they're having the opposite effect."

"I - no." Tyler bowed his head to the flask.

Klaus inspected his best mate, exhaling in irritation. "Some words of advice, Tyler; drinking away the pain doesn't do anything but make it worse. I've learned that the hard way. Talking about it makes it worse, too. So, you want to know what I do to make the pain go away?"

Tyler looked up at him.

"Just stop feeling altogether, that's the key. It saves you from pathetically wallowing in your own pity."

Tyler didn't seem to like those words, and matched Klaus' detached state.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a sister to check in on."

He found it hard to turn away from his friend, but his feet moved without much hesitation. The room seemed to suffocate Klaus in remembrance of his mother. She was someone who Klaus held dear to his heart; the only parent he cared for. Mikael was nothing but a constant parasite to his mind. Yes, Mikael was his father and it did sadden him learning of his death, but that didn't overshadow the torture Klaus felt at Mikael's hands. You can't sympathize for someone who'd never have the same feeling toward you; no matter how bad the complication. Klaus learned that Mikael didn't deserve tears or his pity. In fact, the arse hardly deserved a family. What he did deserve, however, was what came to him that night in the Appalachian mountains.

Klaus met up with Kol and Henrik when he left the office. His brother's didn't question the solemn look on his face and kept to themselves on their ride to the hospital.

* * *

 _Author's Note : Thanks so much for the feedback! I can't believe I've waited, what, two months __to post a new chapter? I feel bad so I apologize for the wait. Nothing too major_ _this chapter,_ _but I can hint that Klaus might be getting close to the truth in the next few chapters._


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note : Don't worry! I have not forgotten about this story. I've just been very busy these past few months and haven't been able to type anything up. Also, I got a review from a guest last chapter asking if Caroline was going to be in this chapter, and I'd like to clear this up that Caroline won't be coming to Mystic Falls yet. I can't say how many chapters until she pops up, but this is a slow-burn story and it's going to take time for her to arrive. This story does follow the canon timeline up until the end up season two, when Caroline finally arrives. In timeline sense, I'd say we're on episode two of season two._

* * *

Ch. 3

Giving a nurse a quick smile, Klaus grabbed the tray of food for Rebekah and made his way to her room. He found her seated upright in bed, cradling her hand in her lap and giving him a fake smile that hardly reached her eyes.

"The nurse said you're not eating," Klaus stated, setting the tray down and turning back to his sister.

Rebekah chuckled. "Me? Eat hospital food? You've got to be joking."

"Food is food, Bekah," Klaus said, handing her a cup of fruit. His hand felt warm beneath the sunlight that streamed in through the windows, only reminding him that today was the day of the Mystic Falls High School Carnival. It was a shame his sister would be missing it; it was one of her favorite school events.

Rebekah reached for the fruit cup but stopped short when her hand came towards the stream of light. She looked away and coughed.

Klaus shook his head, placing the cup back on the tray. "Good news; you're being released tomorrow morning."

Her head shot up. "Morning? No. No, I need to get out tonight."

"Don't fret, little sister. The carnival will come again next year. I'm sure they can do without your air headed attitude for one night," Klaus joked, only it had the opposite effect on his sister whose eyes narrowed to slits.

"I am not air headed, Nik," Rebekah defended, glancing around hurriedly. "Look, it's not about the carnival. I just...I need to get out tonight. Can't you just snap your fingers...or bribe the doctor to let me go? Please, Nik. This place is depressing."

Klaus laughed. "Rebekah, you need to calm down."

He walked to the windows without warning and opened the curtains just as Rebekah protested. The room was very dark, and maybe she'd lighten up if the room had some brightness to it.

Turning back, he found Rebekah absent of her bed and pressed against the far wall.

"Rebekah?"

"Just close it, Nik," she ordered carefully.

Frowning, he did as she said.

Her breathing came out rapid. Suddenly, Klaus grew intrigued as to why his sister was acting strange. He knew he shouldn't have questioned her, but he did so anyway, watching as she pierced him with a harsh glare that almost had him reeling.

"Rebekah, what is it?"

The blonde shook her head, desperately wishing he'd just leave her alone.

After watching a grim look cross her features, Klaus took the hint and backed off, giving her a curt goodbye and leaving her perched against the wall.

Later on in the day, Rebekah found herself growing annoyed at what had happened to her. It was baffling, really, the need for a red substance that she couldn't stop fretting over. It didn't come easy, but she managed to control herself. Throughout the day she would sit back on her bed or pace her room; her heart thrumming wildly against her rib cage. It was constant and her heartbeat echoed in her ears. She couldn't take it anymore. The pain, the hunger - everything. It seemed to take over her whole being, the sudden urge to smash something in anger becoming difficult to maintain.

Eventually, she walked over to the mirror on the other side of the room and began taking out the jewelry she'd been wearing in the accident. After placing her rings on her dainty fingers she reached down for the necklace that Elena had given her a few months back when she started dating Stefan. Once the necklace was latched around her neck, Rebekah moved her gown so the necklace rested against her chest. In the process of doing so, the necklace suddenly burned her, earning as hiss from Rebekah who yanked the necklace off and threw it back towards the open door to her room. Rebekah eyed the heart-shaped burn curiously, rubbing the wound tenderly while steadying her breathing.

"That's pretty," a nurse remarked after picking the jewelry up and walking into Rebekah's room.

She sighed. "Uh, yeah. A friend gave it to me."

Without another word, the nurse placed the necklace on Rebekah's bed and exited.

Rebekah, trying not to roll her eyes, took a stealthy sip of blood from a blood bag she'd stolen earlier in the morning. Letting out a sigh, Rebekah noted how the skin beneath her eyes rippled. She gently touched her face and watched in horror as veins appeared and then disappeared. By then, her mouth began to ache. She muffled her screaming with her hands, but eventually pulled them away from her face to find fangs protruding from her gums.

Rebekah cried out. The nurse from before rushed in to see what was going on, causing Rebekah to flip herself around to stare at the dark-skinned woman.

"What's wrong?" the nurse asked.

Something overcame Rebekah, a surge of strength that she didn't know she could produce. She grabbed the nurse by her neck and slammed her against the wall.

"You can't tell anyone," Rebekah pleaded hotly, staring into the woman's eyes. "You can't tell anyone."

The nurse was in some sort of trance as she uttered her next words. "I can't tell anyone."

Rebekah was confused. "You'll do what I say?"

"I'll do whatever you say."

Rebekah smirked, showing off her fangs. "Good. Because I'm starving."

The blonde attacked the nurse's neck repeatedly, enjoying the warm liquid rushing down her throat without a single drop of remorse.

xXx

"I'd much rather be at home right now," Henrik groaned as he walked with his two brothers through the crowd of people that came out to the carnival that night. "All these games are rigged anyway. What's the point?"

Kol clapped his younger brother on the shoulder. "It's not about the prizes, little bro. It's about the adrenaline rush of the rides, the greasy foods that clog your arteries, and the girls." He motioned towards a group of girls as an example, who were dressed in scantily clad clothes. "You've reached that ripe age where it's no longer about games; it's about them."

Klaus glared at Kol. "The last thing we need is for you to corrupt him."

"Well, what do you suggest? You're no better than I am."

Henrik snickered. "Kol does have a point. I've seen you Klaus and you-"

"Yes, yes. I'm a poor example of a human being. I've been told on many occasions."

His brothers let out a chuckle at the same time. Kol then steered Henrik in the direction of the girls, Klaus knowing it would be useless to protest. He simply rolled his eyes and walked around aimlessly for the next fifteen minutes doing absolutely nothing. He did, however, run into Elena by a concession stand.

"Klaus, hi," Elena greeted nervously. "Um...are you enjoying the carnival?"

"No," Klaus said simply. "It seems to be a tad boring for my taste. Whomever put it together knew absolutely nothing about entertainment."

"Klaus-"

He scowled, knowing full well that Elena and Bonnie helped put the carnival together. He didn't want any sort of apology for the distance she kept from him. She didn't understand how it felt to have two of your best friends to abandon you without a word.

"Don't, Elena. I'll save you the time and energy; friendships like ours are a sham. We're a prime example of that."

"That's ridiculous, Klaus," Elena said. "We've known each other since we were seven, Klaus. Our friendship wasn't a sham."

"Really? That's rich. If you haven't noticed, this is the first decent conversation we've had in months, Elena. Is that what you consider a friendship? Because to me, dropping a friend of yours off and leaving them in the dark isn't something I'd call a friendship. But what am I to do about it? You've moved on, Elena, and as happy as I am that you've abandoned the sadness that came from your parents' deaths, you have to remember that in doing so, by replacing the most important people in your life, that you're bound to lose someone. You chose him; not your best friend, a guy you'd known for _years_ , Elena. Compared to the ten years we'd spent together in this impending friendship, you chose someone over me who you knew for not even twenty-four hours." Anger radiated off of Klaus in waves, compelling Elena to give him a sad look at the look in his eyes. "You mean nothing to me, Elena. I've got new friends, a new life, and I don't need you anymore. Just like you don't need me. You've got dear old Stefan for that."

He was jealous. The pit in his stomach only grew the more he stared into her doe eyes. He shook his head and strode off, making sure to shove hard into Elena's shoulder when walking past her.

"Klaus!" she shouted after him.

But he acted as if he didn't hear her. He continued walking until he was inside a school corridor. Upon entering, he saw the Salvatore brothers standing off to the side of a table set up for the Wrestling Club. Tyler had just defeated a guy on their football team. What was his name again? Jordan...Jackson? Klaus didn't know and didn't particularly care as he made his way towards his friend that was reveling in his victory in an arm wrestling contest.

"Klaus!" Tyler greeted. "Wanna give it a try?"

"Against you?" Klaus wondered, thinking about his odds at winning a game against the Tyler Lockwood.

"C'mon, man," Tyler smiled. "I'll go easy on you."

"There'll be no need." Klaus smirked and shrugged off his leather jacket. "You're going down, Lockwood."

Tyler grinned and put his hand into Klaus', bracing himself for what was about to happen. A girl in the crowd started the countdown: " _3...2..1_!" Then, they wrestled back and forth, Klaus almost losing as Tyler brought his hand down several times. But Klaus won, slamming his friend's hand down onto the table before the crowd erupted into cheers.

"Jesus, man," Tyler said, shocked. "Where'd that come from?"

Klaus merely shrugged, chuckling at his friend. Out of the corner of his eye Klaus could see Stefan and Damon watching him with curiosity. He ignored their looks and grabbed his jacket off the table.

"I bet I can take you," a voice said from Tyler's side. Looking up, Klaus found Mason Lockwood, Tyler's uncle, standing there with a whimsical look on his face.

Klaus chewed on the inside of his cheek. He didn't know if he wanted to take on Mason or not. Eventually he caved with a smile. "Alright."

The two set up for their arm wrestling match, not knowing that Damon and Stefan were watching every single one of their moves on the sidelines.

"They've got strength," Damon mused.

"Of course they've got strength," Stefan said. "They're triple-letter varsity athletes."

"And then enter the uncle," Damon said when Mason stood across from Klaus.

Stefan scoffed. "This is ridiculous."

It took no longer than ten seconds for Mason to beat Klaus. The embarrassment of the loss washed over Klaus' features, but he smiled anyway at Mason and took a step back.

Tyler smiled. "Alright, who wants to go next?"

Damon spoke up. "Hey, Stefan wants to go!"

Stefan really didn't want to go up against Mason Lockwood. Though, he couldn't resist as everyone now looked to him, including Klaus; who had a look of pure hatred on his face as the Salvatore took a stand across from Mason.

"Go, Stef!" Damon cheered playfully. "Get him, Stef!"

Stefan cracked a grin. "My brother over there thinks I can beat you," he told Mason when their hands locked into place.

"Your brother's wrong," Mason stated with scorn.

Klaus made sure to keep an eye on Damon while watching Stefan's match. It took the same time it did for Klaus as it did for Stefan to lose. Damon deflated in surprise when Stefan walked back over to him by the wall.

"You put in no effort," Damon said.

"Yeah, actually, I did."

Damon was taken aback. Klaus couldn't hear what they were saying, but he watched as both brother's talked about something of importance. Then, Damon and Stefan turned around and left, giving Klaus an idea.

The brother's halted at the end of the corridor and Klaus followed them. Something about Damon and Stefan had always seemed off; Klaus could never explain it. He just knew that there was more to the Salvatore brother's then meets the eye.

"Is he-" Damon began.

"No, no, no. It wasn't that kind of strength. But it was more than human, if that makes any sense."

Damon sighed. "What is it with that family? Same goes for the Mikaelson's."

Klaus was confused at his surname being mentioned.

"If they're not vampires, then what the hell are they?"

Vampires? Klaus wanted to laugh but the situation was far too serious to be taken lightly. These brother's were serious, that much Klaus knew.

"Ooh, maybe they're, uh, ninja turtles," Stefan added with a smirk.

"You're not funny."

"Or, no, zombies. Werewolves."

"No comedic timing at all."

Klaus watched Damon turn around to a student and look back at Stefan. "Since this is reality and there's no such thing as werewolves or combat turtles-"

"I said ninja turtles."

Damon ignored his brother and approached a boy who was working on a speaker. "Hey, you."

The kid scoffed. "I have a name."

"Yeah, I don't care." Damon grasped the kid by his shoulders and forced him to look at him. "I need you to pick a fight with someone, kid named Tyler Lockwood."

Stefan stepped in. "Damon, don't do this."

"No, no. It's just an experiment," Damon said with a wave of his hand. "And if he deems unable to be riled up, I need you to go after Klaus Mikaelson. Get him mad. Don't back down, no matter what, okay?"

"I won't back down," the kid repeated.

"I know you won't."

The kid walked off right past Klaus. He tried to shrink away out of sight as he saw Damon glance his way.

"You do realize that somebody's gonna get hurt, right?" Stefan pointed out.

"No, someone's gonna get mad, as in _rage_."

"C'mon, what's that gonna accomplish?"

Damon leveled his stare with his brother. "That Tyler kid is incapable of walking away from a fight."

"What about Klaus?"

"That kid is like Tyler's side-kick. He's the exact same way. I'm just trying to see who'll intervene. Maybe it's the ambiguously supernatural mystery uncle."

Klaus stayed back as he watched Damon stroll away from Stefan and down a different corridor, wondering what he'd just heard.

xXx

Rebekah left the hospital and was now walking through the school in search of one mysterious dark-haired man with piercing blue eyes, whom she had history with, little did her brother's know. Over the past few hours she was hit with ensemble of memories that she shared with him. Their relationship that they shared months ago, when she first met him in the Mystic Grill, had come flooding back. None of them were pretty.

His back was toward her when she entered the wing. He looked back and gave her a small nod when he heard her footsteps. "Oh, hey, Blondie."

He continued his walk until she opened her mouth.

"I remember."

"What do you remember?" Damon asked, turning back to her again.

"I remember how you manipulated me...you pushed me around, you abused me...erased my memories."

Damon merely smirked at the point she was trying to get across.

"Fed on me," she finished.

"You're crazy."

"Well, the memories have been coming back in pieces," she said.

Damon exhaled. "You can't remember. It's impossible." He inched towards her with confidence. "I mean, unless you were becoming a..." his voice dropped off, watching as Rebekah's supple lips contorted into a smirk.

Cutting right to the chase, Rebekah appeared bored once more. "I have a message from...Katherine, was it?" She moved closer to Damon until their faces were inches apart. "She said, 'Game on.'"

The blonde turned around and was going to walk away when he grabbed her arm. "Wait-"

By doing so resulted in her shoving him back onto the tiled ground, enjoying the shock that was engraved on Damon's face. She didn't say anything. She couldn't find the words to utter. He disgusted her beyond belief. It was unfathomable to explain the hatred she felt towards him in that moment when she turned and walked away.

xXx

"Tyler!" Klaus shouted when he spotted him outside in the parking lot. "Wait up!"

He seemed to be more interested in something on his phone than actually listening to his best mate.

"Bloody hell," he muttered when he saw the kid from before walking straight for Tyler. "Tyler!"

The kid shoved right into him.

"Watch where you're goin'," Tyler warned.

Klaus screeched to a halt.

"You got a problem?"

"Yeah. You walked right into me."

"What are you going to do about it?" the kid tested.

"You're kidding, right?"

The kid shoved him again with purpose, causing Klaus to roll his eyes and intervene immediately.

"Hey, mate, watch it," Klaus said, stepping between the two boys.

"You better back off," Tyler informed the kid.

Klaus was pushed to the side when the kid aimed for Tyler again.

"You hit me again, I swear to God-"

Tyler was knocked to the ground before he could finish his sentence. Klaus watched from where he stood as the two got into a very heated fistfight. He wanted to step in and do something, but he found himself cemented to the ground, the conversation he overheard between Damon and Stefan taking over his thoughts. What had Damon done? Klaus remembers it had something to do with vampires and the supernatural. However, none of that existed.

Klaus glanced at the fight again to see Mason now standing among the two boys, his fist wrapped around the kid's neck threateningly. Yet, the kid didn't back down. He drove Mason right into the hood of a car after flinging another fist his way in order to get closer to Tyler.

In a split second, Klaus watched on as Mason jumped over the car in an odd way, on all fours and reaching his nephew who propped himself up on the pavement.

"Your eyes," Tyler said, appalled.

Mason ignored him and backhanded the kid who only had one thing on his mind; to attack Tyler Lockwood.

The older man sent a nervous glare at Klaus before picking his nephew up and setting off through the parking lot.

This spelled bad news for Klaus as he watched the kid stand back up, his eyes resting on the only other person in the lot.

Just as Klaus was going to tell him to shove off, Stefan came out of nowhere and propelled the kid backwards.

"You don't want to do that," Stefan told the kid sternly. "You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just forget this ever happened."

Klaus appeared confused once more.

When it was only Stefan and Klaus left, the Salvatore sighed. "You don't even want to know."

Eyes narrowed and fists clenched, Klaus gave him a sore look. "I do, actually. I was part of this whole scheme, weren't I?"

Stefan dropped his gaze to his feet. "You overheard."

"More like eavesdropped, but there really is no difference. I think I deserve to know what's going on, Stefan."

Stefan was going to tell him off and just let him forget about it, but Klaus had a point. He was involved in this one way or another.

"Follow me," Stefan said, walking back to the school.

Following, Klaus couldn't help the uneasiness that struck his stomach. He was finally going to find out what was going on. Maybe he'd even get an answer to why Elena and Bonnie had distanced themselves from Klaus. He figured it was because of Stefan, but maybe there was a lot more to it.

Stefan walked into a classroom, Klaus in tow. He saw that they weren't alone; sitting on the desk was Damon and by the windows was Elena. Klaus' stomach dropped, his heart beating rapidly against his chest. He didn't want to see her; not after what he said to her earlier.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Damon snarled.

"He knows, Damon," Stefan said.

"Knows what?"

"He overheard us in the hall," he clarified after taking a stand beside Elena. "And now he wants to know what's going on."

"And what gives you the right to know anything?" Damon asked Klaus.

Elena spoke up. "This is about his sister, anyway."

"Hmm?" Stefan looked between his brother and girlfriend, wondering what he'd missed.

"Rebekah?" Klaus asked. "What about her?"

"She's a vampire," Damon said. "And she also said she got a little visit from our local vindictive liar AKA Katherine Pierce with a message 'Game on'."

A look of frustration rested on Stefan's features. "How did this even happen?"

Damon glanced away from Klaus to look at his brother. "Well, I fed her blood and Katherine obviously killed her and A plus B equals..."

"Wait, what? My sister's a vampire? She was killed? Who the bloody hell is Katherine?"

"Klaus, we'll explain it later, okay?" Elena put up a hand to stop her ex-friend from continuing. She looked at Damon. "But why?"

"Because Katherine is a manipulative, nasty little slut."

"And she said, 'Game on?' I mean, what does that even mean?" Stefan asked.

"It means she's playing dirty. She wants us to know."

"But why Rebekah?" Elena asked, worried for the girl who she's known for years, who she considered a very good friend.

"I don't know."

Stefan removed his hands from his face and let out a sigh. "Rebekah must be completely out of her mind. She has no idea what's happening to her."

"Oh, I think she does. All of my compulsion from the past started wearing off the minute she was in transition."

"We have to find her," Stefan insisted.

"Yep, and kill her."

Klaus' head shot up to glare at Damon. "You will be doing no such thing."

"Yeah, you're not killing Rebekah," Elena agreed.

"She knows who we are. She's officially a liability. So is he," Damon said, motioning towards Klaus. "We've got to get rid of her...and him."

"Damon, absolutely not," Stefan said.

"Need I remind you of a tragic little story of a girl named Vicki Donovan?" Silence fell over them all. "Yeah, Rebekah of all people will not make it as a vampire. Guys, come on. We all know how this story ends so let's just flip to the last chapter and-"

"It's not an option, Damon," Elena asserted.

"You're not killing my sister," Klaus added.

"No?" Damon switched his gaze from Klaus to Stefan. "Your silence is deafening, Stefan. Wait, wasn't there a school carnival the night you staked Vicki?"

Klaus knew what they were talking about now. Vicki Donovan was turned into a vampire and Stefan had killed her. Disappointment and fear washed over Klaus, wondering if Stefan would do the same thing to Rebekah. Klaus wouldn't allow it, though. She was one of the only people he had in his life anymore.

"Talk about a town where history repeats itself. You know I'm right."

Stefan, raising himself from his seat, pointed at Damon. "We're not going to kill her."

With that, he left the room. As did Elena, who grabbed Klaus' forearm on her way out and made a run to find Rebekah.

* * *

 _Author's Note : And that's the third chapter! As you can probably tell, Rebekah has taken up Caroline's storyline which I guess gives more of a dynamic to her connection with the Salvatore brothers and it allows drama to ensue between Klaus and Damon. Next chapter we'll see Klaus dive headfirst into the supernatural world. Don't forget to review!_


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